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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

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Open Access 01-12-2024 | Acupuncture | Research

The effect of acupuncture on exercise capacity in patients with COPD is mediated by improvements of dyspnea and leg fatigue: a causal mediation analysis using data from a randomized controlled trial

Authors: Takumi Kayo, Masao Suzuki, Tadamichi Mitsuma, Fumihiko Fukuda

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2024

Abstract

Background

Acupuncture is known to improve exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its mechanism remains unknown. Whether acupuncture improves exercise capacity in patients with COPD through alleviation of leg fatigue and dyspnea is examined by applying causal mediation analysis to previous trial data.

Methods

Sixty-two patients with COPD completed treatments with either real or placebo acupuncture once a week for 12 weeks. Walk distance measured using the 6-minute walk test and intensities of leg fatigue and dyspnea in the modified Borg scale were evaluated at baseline and after treatment. The intervention effect of acupuncture against the placebo acupuncture on two mediators, changes in leg fatigue and dyspnea, and whether they mediated improvements in walk distance, were analyzed.

Results

Linear regression analysis showed that the unstandardized regression coefficients [95% confidence interval (CI)] for the intervention effect by acupuncture were -4.9 (-5.8–-4.0) in leg fatigue and -3.6 (-4.3–-2.9) in dyspnea. Mediation analysis showed that when changes in leg fatigue were considered as a mediator, direct effect, indirect effect and proportion mediated were 47.1 m (95% CI, 4.6–85.1), 34.3 m (-2.1–82.1), and 42.1%, respectively, and when changes in dyspnea were considered as a mediator, they were 9.8 m (-32.9–49.9), 72.5 m (31.3–121.0), and 88.1%, respectively, and the effects of joint mediator were -5.8 m (-55.4–43.9), 88.9 m (32.7–148.5), and 107.0%, respectively.

Conclusion

The improvement in exercise capacity by acupuncture is explained by changes in both leg fatigue and dyspnea.

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Title: The effect of acupuncture on exercise capacity in patients with COPD is mediated by improvements of dyspnea and leg fatigue: a causal mediation analysis using data from a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Takumi Kayo
Masao Suzuki
Tadamichi Mitsuma
Fumihiko Fukuda
Publication date: 01-12-2024
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Acupuncture
Dyspnea
Dyspnea
Fatigue
Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-024-04353-0

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The effect of acupuncture on exercise capacity in patients with COPD is mediated by improvements of dyspnea and leg fatigue: a causal mediation analysis using data from a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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